Father used to say, "Don't raise your voice. Improve your argument." it's what he did. It's what he did to protect his family. Any outsider wouldn't believe him, but in the end, it was all he wanted.
But, Damian LaVeau was not a good person. His desperate need of killing every month got the better of him. The psychopath had to get his needs out of the way. Soleil knew he wanted to stop, but he just couldn't. Because that's a killer's flaw. He can't stop.
Damian stared in his daughter's eyes, holding the phone to his ear. He leaned forward on his elbows, nearly touching the glass wall in between them. "I missed you, Sunshine," He smiled at the only person he cared about. "How're you holding up?"
"I'm holding up," Soleil avoided the question. "Are they treating you alright here, Pops?"
Damian shrugged. "Got food, got a place to sleep. What more can a man need?"
Freedom, Soleil thought, a man would want his freedom. She decided not to say anything. Soleil agreed sto weekly meetings with her dad, and she liked that she could still see him, but the vibe wasn't the same as it used to.
All she could see when she looked at her father was the memory of his face splattered with her mom's blood. Right after he blew her brains off.
After a moment of silence, Damian changed the subject. "How's that boy you're dating? What was his name again? Evan, Easton?"
"Ethan." Soleil corrected. "He's amazing -as he always has been. I'm finally getting him to go out more. You know he used to not leave his dorm."
"Ah, yes, I remember that," Damian laughed at the memory. "Have you finally told your friends about him? It's been six months already, hasn't it?"
Soleil looked down. She shook her head and sighed. "I think I waited for too long. It has been six months, so it'd be stupid to say now," Her tone became chattier. "But it's okay. I can handle a double life by now."
The black man laughed. "I suppose you can," He fell silent. Damian looked to the side to the guards lining up to watch the prisoners. He leaned in closer to be able to speak lower. "But we don't talk about that here."
Soleil furrowed her eyebrows. "Are we not supposed to talk about my love life? Because that's what I'm talking about. What were you talking about?"
"Nothing." Damian sat back in his seat.
"No. No, please do enlighten me," Soleil announced angrily. "What do you wanna tell me? What'd you think I did?"
Damian sighed deeply, looking into his daughter's dark eyes. "I heard that ghost face was back last year. I didn't wanna say it, but I'm starting to get worried you might end up like me. You know, the same needs..." He looked down. "It got me thinking about it and it turns out many children of serial killers end up fucked up. I don't wanna inflict that upon you, Sunshine."
Soleil's gaze hardened. How dared he, the one behind bars, suspect her of being a murderer. He had nothing on her, nor could he, since she was definitely not a murderer. Soleil dedicated her entire life trying to be different than her father.
"Well," Soleil replied. "I guess you inflicted that upon yourself." She hung the phone on its hanger, nodded to one of the guards that they were done and walked out without looking at her father again.
The entire way out was decorated by cold, (too) white walls and a cement floor. There was no need for any other decoration, so why would they bother? These people deserved nothing in their eyes.
Soleil made her way back home, taking the metros. As always, they were overcrowded, packed so full it made Soleil feel like a kernel of corn, the metro being the whole corn plant.
After finally arriving in her dorm, she kicked off her shoes and flopped down on the sofa. Soleil looked around the messy room, she sighed before yelling. "Aaliyah! Can you please come pick up your hijabs? They're lying around again!"
The head of a stylish girl with a pink hijab turned around the corner, her phone in her hand. "Sorry," She gave an apologetic smile. "I was trying to find the perfect hijab with my outfit for the party. How's this?" She came around the corner completely.
Soleil put her thumb up at the girl dressed as a fairy with a pink dress. "Looks great, Sugar Plum." She felt her tummy rumble, so she continued. "Have you eaten yet? I was thinking of ordering a pizza."
"I have," Aaliyah tilted her head slightly as she gave another one of her apologetic smiles. "Well, I am going to study. I have a test tomorrow."
"Good luck." Soleil waved her goodbye as Aaliyah closed the door to her bedroom. She buried her head in the couch. Soleil sighed deeply before getting her phone out of the pocket of her ripped jeans. She blew a curl out of her face.
The brunette sat up on the couch, waiting on her pizza which was said to arrive within fifteen minutes. She started zipping the channels on the television, trying to entertain herself. A message came in on the phone on the sofa.
ethan ❤️🔥
hey
Soleil smiled to herself when she saw the name belonging to the message. She replied back.
sol ☀️
hey
ethan ❤️🔥
wyd?
i miss you
sol ☀️
man i miss u too
i wish i could see u rn 😭
ethan ❤️🔥
who said you couldn't?
chad's gone all evening
sol ☀️
give me fifteen minutes and i'll bring food 🍕
gotta keep my man fed 🫡
Soleil squeaked silently in excitement. Even Aaliyah didn't know about their relationship, so balancing it could be difficult at times. Sometimes she wished she'd find it easier and just tell people about him, but -as she told her dad earlier that day- her mind didn't work like that.
She paced around, waiting for the pizza to come so she could take off to Ethan's. When it finally came, Soleil stormed out of her room on her way to Ethan's room. The boys buildings were just on the other side of the campus, so it didn't take long for her to arrive.
Soleil knocked on the door and not even ten seconds later Ethan opened the door, a big smile growing on his smile. He stepped aside so she could come in. Soleil closed the door, holding the pizza box in one hand.
The second the door closed Ethan brought his hand up to her cheek, bringing her in for a deep kiss. Soleil put the pizza down on the closest sideboard and cupped both his cheeks, kissing him back. She pulled away, but kept her hands in place. "Hi."
"Hey," He replied. Ethan's eyes trailed to the pizza box on the sideboard. "Let me guess, pepperoni?"
Soleil's smile grew. "You know me too well."
They sat down on the sofa. Soleil put a dvd in the dvd player. Mamma Mia, one of her favourites. The two ate the pizza, laughing at how the other's mouth was smeared with tomato sauce. Ethan held a slice of pizza in the air while Soleil would try to catch the string of cheese with her mouth.
Soleil stood up to dance around in the dorm to the song she knew was coming up. She grabbed a spatula and used it as a fake mike to sing in. The brunette dragged Ethan from the sofa and made him dance alongside her. At first he was resistant, almost hiding his face in laughter and his hands as if someone would see them.
"Careful, your part is first," Soleil said, stopping her singing to say it. Then she continued. "Lay all your love on me."
"I can't sing," Ethan excused himself. He received a look and a pout from Soleil. The boy took the spatula from Soleil's hands, using it as his own mike as dramatically started lip syncing the part Dominic Cooper usually sang, "I wasn't jealous before we met. Now every man I see is a potential threat."
Soleil was surprised he went full musical style. He walked around the room as if he was performing a show, and she fell in love with him again. Ethan came up close, making eye contact as he lip synced. "And all I've learned has overturned," He sunk through his knees in front of Soleil. "I beg of you."
From his sunken place, he looked up at Soleil. He was on his knees. "I love you, Sol," He whimpered. "I love you so much."
Soleil stared at him for a few seconds. He'd never said that before. Ethan had explicitly asked to take things slow, and Soleil had taken that to heart. Maybe a little too much.
"Please say something." Ethan begged, his voice cracking.
She choked on her words. Soleil didn't know what to say. No one had told her they loved her since her mother died. Unless, you wanna count in the lying serial killer that is her father. But, really, how much about that can you believe?
She cupped the curly heads cheeks, gently pulling him back on his feet. Soleil brought his face closer to hers. She kissed him so slowly, he had all the time to move his hands, but he didn't.
Soleil pulled away, leaning her forehead against his. Ethan held the hands that still cupped his cheeks. "Is that enough answer for you?" she asked him lowly. "Or do I really need to tell you? How I spend my evenings smiling at your texts, or hiding my face because you looked at me in class. Or how I fall in love with you, every time you even do as much as speak."
Ethan's eyes lit up. He looked at her with so much love. He felt as if all the negativity surrounding him went away in a heartbeat when he looked at the brunette. She was his beacon. She was what kept him thinking clearly most days. She was everything he had.
And he'd be damn sure to protect it.
first chapter!! yay!
i love my babies fr
ethan's innocent btw (hes a murderer and im delulu)